diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 3944cc6..641dc90 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -153,54 +153,45 @@ find_register(Rule *r, char reg)
 {
 	int i;
 	for(i = 0; i < (int)r->ptr; i++)
-		if(r->key[i] == reg)
-			return i;
+		if(r->key[i] == reg) return i;
 	return -1;
 }
 
 static char *
 compile_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *src)
 {
-	int wrapped, reg;
 	char c, *cap;
+	int wrapped, reg;
 	r->id = id, r->ptr = 0, r->a = &empty, r->b = &empty;
 	/* phase: left */
 	while((c = *src) && c == ' ') src++;
 	if(c == ')' || (c == '<' && src[1] == '>')) return src;
-	r->a = dict_;
-	cap = walk(src);
-	wrapped = c == '(';
+	r->a = dict_, cap = walk(src), wrapped = c == '(';
 	if(wrapped) src++, cap--;
 	while(src < cap) {
-		if(*src == '?') {
-			*dict_++ = *src++;
+		c = *src, *dict_++ = *src++;
+		if(c == '?') {
 			reg = find_register(r, *src);
-			if(reg < 0 && *src != '(')
+			if(reg == -1 && *src != '(')
 				r->key[r->ptr] = *src, reg = r->ptr++;
 			*dict_++ = '0' + reg;
-		} else
-			*dict_++ = *src++;
+		}
 	}
-	src += wrapped;
-	*dict_++ = 0;
+	src += wrapped, *dict_++ = 0;
 	/* phase: right */
 	while((c = *src) && c == ' ') src++;
 	if(c == ')' || (c == '<' && src[1] == '>')) return src;
-	r->b = dict_;
-	cap = walk(src);
-	wrapped = c == '(';
+	r->b = dict_, cap = walk(src), wrapped = c == '(';
 	if(wrapped) src++, cap--;
 	while(src < cap) {
-		if(*src == '?') {
-			*dict_++ = *src++;
+		c = *src, *dict_++ = *src++;
+		if(c == '?') {
 			reg = find_register(r, *src);
-			*dict_++ = reg >= 0 ? ('0' + reg) : *src;
+			*dict_++ = reg != -1 ? '0' + reg : *src;
 			src++;
-		} else
-			*dict_++ = *src++;
+		}
 	}
-	src += wrapped;
-	*dict_++ = 0;
+	src += wrapped, *dict_++ = 0;
 	return src;
 }